New parking restrictions around AFC Wimbledon’s ground ‘punish’ local businesses

By Charlotte Lillywhite, Local Democracy Reporter

Frustrated business owners are facing hefty fines and fear losing customers over controversial parking restrictions for a new football stadium next door.

Between 9.30am and 9.30pm on match days, visitors must pay to park in streets surrounding AFC Wimbledon’s stadium in Plough Lane.

Drivers slapped with parking tickets face fines of up to £110 – slashed to £55 if paid within 14 days.

The restrictions aim to stop football fans overwhelming the area, but some Earlsfield residents said most stadium-goers use public transport and that they’re bearing the brunt of the restrictions instead.

Business owners in Garratt Lane said they felt “punished,” adding the rules were confusing but heavily enforced, leaving unwitting customers with fines.

Chloe Garvey, 22, said she had been fined up to roughly £400 since starting at charity Fara in Garratt Lane in February – largely due to confusion about when the restrictions apply. She said the paper signs “fly off and people will park and not realise”.

Ms Garvey said: “People get tickets outside from just coming in here for five minutes, talking to us and dropping off their donations.

“They’ll say to us next time they come in and quickly drop off [donations]: ‘I’m really sorry but last time I got a ticket.’”

Tina Henderson, who manages Lark in Garratt Lane, said: “We want to create local business because that’s what people want, but then on the other hand the council are going: ‘No you can’t do that, you can’t park there, you can’t do this.’ They really are punishing us and I think the only reason is because it’s a really good money-spinner, the income.”

A consultation earlier this year revealed that 48 per cent of 736 respondents wanted the restrictions to be limited – 24 per cent said they should be removed.

A Wandsworth council committee voted to keep the restrictions but to investigate options to limit them in future.

A Wandsworth council spokesman said: “These controls were introduced in October 2021 following consultation with all residents and businesses in the area and are designed to protect local people’s and businesses’ parking spaces from an influx of football fans on match days.

“The controls are in place only when AFC Wimbledon play at home and to assist residents and businesses. The council has created a specific webpage with details of all their home fixtures along with a link to a digital calendar website which allows this information to be downloaded to mobile devices and tablets.

“Following a fresh round of public consultation, we are now considering options to reduce the hours of operation on match days and will come forward with some recommendations in the new year.”

Pictured top: Garratt Lane in Earlsfield (Picture: Charlotte Lillywhite)